Billet handling apparatus



April 14, 1970 H. w. THOMAS BILLET HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1968 INVENTOR H0/m6 'h4 7720/7706 April 14, 1970 H. w. THOMAS 3,506,141

BILLET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ///me V- 7720/7705 United States Patent O 3,506,141 BILLET HANDLING APPARATUS Hulme W. Thomas, Allentown, Pa., assignor to Bethlehem Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 774,723 Int. Cl. B65g 7/ 00 U.S. Cl. 214-1 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Laterally spaced supporting members are provided with a notch in the upper edges thereof to support a lbillet therein. A lift arm, having a at upper surface, initially aligned with one side of the notches, and a cammed lower surface, is pivotally mounted between said supporting members. Means is actuated by a pneumatic cylinder to pivot said lift arm whereby said billet is lifted out of said notches and pushed forward and clamped against a stop. Said means comprises a roller adapted to engage said cammed lower surface and a pair of arms adapted to engage a side of the billet, said roller and said arms being pivotally mounted about a common horizontal axis. In its clamped position, the billet is disposed above turning lands whereby pivoting said lift arm in the opposite direction results in a 90 rotation of said billet in said notches.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparauts for handling billets, and more particularly to apparatus for lifting, clamping, turning and ejecting billets.

Blooms and billets usually have surface defects, e.g. seams, which must be removed by grinding, scarfing or chipping before being reheated for subsequent working, e.g. rolling. In general, these surfacing operations comprise clamping a billet before an operator, removing any defects from the billet surface facing the operator, and rotating the billet through successive 90 angles whereby defects may be removed from all four sides thereof. Following the surfacing operation, the billet is ejected from the apparatus and either stored or transferred to a reheating furnace for further processing.

Apparatus as above described is broadly old. However, in the past, such apparatus utilized several independent drive means for performing the above-described functions.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus utilizing a single drive means for lifting, clamping and turning billets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A billet handling apparatus comprises a pair of laterally spaced supporting members, each of said members having an upper edge provided with a notch. Each notch is laterally aligned with the other, and comprises a rst and a second angularly inclined surface adapted to engage two adjacent sides of a billet supported thereon. The rst surface is inclined at an angle of less than 45 relative to a horizontal plane, while the sections of said edges contiguous to said second inclined surface dene turning lands for said billet.

First means, having a flat upper surface, is provided for lifting said billet out of said notches. Second means, actuatable by a single drive means, is provided for: (i) imparting motion to said first means whereby said billet is lifted out of the notches and supported upon the ilat upper surface of said rst means; (ii) engaging a vertical surface of said billet and moving said billet along said flat upper surface whereby one lower corner of said billet is disposed above said turning lands; and (iii) disice engaging said vertical surface of said billet and imparting motion to said rst means whereby said billet is lowered into said notches with its side displaced from their initial position by an angle of A single drive means is provided for actuating said second means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2 2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmental end elevation -view taken along the lines 3 3 of FIGURE l.

FIGURES 4-6 are diagrammatic side elevational views showing sequential operating positions through which the apparatus moves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, the subject apparatus comprises a base plate 10 which is secured to a concrete base 12 by anchor bolts 14. Welded to the base plate 10 is a support frame comprising vertical end plates 16 and 17 and side plates 18. Each of the plates 18 is provided with a notch 20 having angularly inclined surfaces 22 and 24 adapted to engage two adjacent sides of a billet 26 supported in said notches. As will be clear from a discussion of the operation of the subject apparatus, it is essential that the surface 24 makes an angle of less than 45 with a horizontal plane. Successful results vhave been obtained with an angle of 37, the oppositely inclined surface 22 making an angle of 53 with the horizontal.

Pivotally mounted between the side plates 18 is a lift arm 28 having a flat upper surface 30 and a cammed lower surface 32. The lift plate 28 comprises a horizontal 'wear plate 34 secured to a bar 36. Secured to the bottom of bar 36 is a spacer plate 38 and a curved plate `40. The lift arm 28 is adapted to pivot about a pin 42 disposed in a bushing 44 mounted in suitable openings in side plates 18.

The side plates 18 are also provided with openings 46 adapted to receive a support pin 48 provided with a flange 50. The pin 48 extends between the side plates 1,8 and is adapted to support the lift arm 28 when said arm is horizontally disposed.

Secured to the end plate 17 is a billet loading platform 52 comprising a base plate 54 supported on side plates 56. A vertical stop plate 58 is secured to one end of the base plate 54.

Each of the side plates 18 is provided with a notch 57 therein to receive a stop arm 59 pivotally mounted about a pin 60 journaled in brackets 62 which are welded to one of the side plates 18. The stop arm 59 is provided with a handle 64 whereby said arm may be manually pivoted. Stiffener plates 66 are secured to end plate 16 to provide additional rigidity.

The upper edges of side plates 1-8 extending between the not-ch 57 and the notch 20' define turning lands 67 for the billet 26.

Mounted on the base plate 10 are trunnion seats 68 and 70 adapted to support a shaft 72. Rotation of the shaft 72 is prevented by providing the shaft with a 4key 74 which engages a retainer plate 76 secured to the trunnion seat 70.

A pivot arm 78 is adapted to pivot about the shaft 72 and broadly comprises a sleeve 80, provided with bushings 82 rotatably engaging the shaft 72, and parallel inner arms 84 and outer arms 86. Said arms 84 and 86 are interconnected and rigidiied by a support plate 88.

A roller 90 is rotatably mounted about a pin 92 disposed between the inner arms 84. Said roller is adapted to engage the cammed surface 32 of the lift arm 28 and raise and lower the same.

The outer arms 86 are each provided with a bearing plate 94 adapted to engage a vertical side of the billet 26 and move said billet along the at upper surface 30 of the lift arm 28 toward the stop arm 59.

The pivot arm 78 is driven by a pneumatic cylinder 96 pivotally mounted, by pin 98, between trunnion seats 100, said trunnion seats being secured to end plate 17 by bolts 102. The piston 104 of the cylinder 96 is connected to a bar 106 rotatably mounted between the arms 84 by a pin 108.

In a billet handling operation, at least two of the above-described apparatuses are utilized in side-by-side relationship. Initially, a billet is placed upon the loading platform 52 of said apparatuses with its center of gravity substantially half way therebetween. The billet is next lowered into the notches 20. The position of the apparatus is as is shown in FIGURE 2, except that the support pin 48 has Ibeen removed. The piston 104 is next actuated to rotate the pivot arm 78 in a counter-clockwise direction. In view of the angular relationship between the inclined surfaces 22 and 24 relative to the horizontal, the billet 26 rotates in a clockwise direction and rests upon the lift arm 28, as shown in FIGURE 4. As the flat upper surface of the lift arm 28 approaches the horizontal, the arms 86 engage a vertical side of the billet 26 (see FIGURE 5) and move the same until the opposite side thereof is clamped against the stop arm 59 and one lower corner of the billet is disposed above turning lands 67. The support pin 48 is then inserted through the side plates .18 as a safety measure, and the position of the apparatus is as shown in FIGURE 6. The upper-most side of the billet 26 is then surfaced, e.g. ground. Upon completion of the grinding of said side, the pin 48 is removed and the piston 104 is retracted, resulting in a clockwise rotation of the pivot arm 78 and the lowering of the lift arm 28. As the lift arm lowers, the billet 26 rotates in a clockwise direction about the turning lands 67 and slides down the surface 22 with its sides displaced from their initial position by an angle of 90.

The foregoing operation is repeated until all four sides of the billet have been surfaced. After the fourth side is finished, the stop arm 59 is pivoted about the pin 60 and the pivot arm 78 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction whereby the billet 26 is ejected from the apparatus.

I claim:

1. A billet turning apparatus comprising:

(a) a pair of laterally spaced, vertically disposed, supporting members,

(b) a notch provided in the upper edge of each of said members, each notch being laterally aligned with the other and comprising a iirst and a second angularly inclined surface adapted to engage two adjacent sides of a billet supported thereon, said first surface being inclined at an angle of less than 45 relative to a horizontal plane, the sections of said edges contiguous to said second inclined surface defining turning lands for said billet,

(c) means for lifting said billet out of said notches comprising a lift arm provided with a ilat upper surface and a cammed lower surface and pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis such that when said flat upper surface is horizontal it is co-planar with said turning lands,

(d) means, pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis, adapted to engage a billet supported on said lift arm and move said billet along said flat upper surface whereby one lower corner of said billet is disposed above said turning lands,

(e) a roller, connected to means (d), adapted to engage said cammed lower surface of said lift arm, pivot said lift arm about its axis, and support said lift arm when its at upper surface is co-planar with said turning lands, and

(f) means for pivoting means (d) whereby said lift arm is raised and lowered.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which means (d) comprises a pair of arms having said roller rotatably mounted therebetween.

3. The improvement recited in claim 2, further comprising:

(g) means for stopping the movement of said billet along said at upper surface of said lift arm.

4. The improvement recited in claim 3, in which means (g) is adapted to be removed from a position wherein it stops the movement of said billet, whereby movement of said pair of arms can effect the ejection of said billet from said apparatus.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,128,888 4/1964 Di Lella 214--1 3,182,815 5/1965 Di Lella et al. 214-1 3,182,817 .5/1965 Piglet 214-1 3,428,199 2/1969 Rhoads 214-1 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner 

